Even low amounts of alcohol come with substantial 'health risks', experts have warned. World leading researchers have long suggested that drinking may provide some health benefits, such as lowering the risk of dementia, heart disease and diabetes. But now US researchers say even moderate drinking can increase the risk of cancer, heart disease and premature death. NHS guidelines state adults shouldn't drink more than 14 units a week, the equivalent of one medium glass of wine a night. In the US recommendations are more vague, advising adults to 'limit alcoholic beverages' without specifying how much alcohol is safe to drink. Previous guidelines suggested a daily limit of two alcoholic drinks for men and one for women, with a loose 'less-is-best' strapline.But experts argued today that even this socially acceptable level of drinking could increase the risk of alcohol-related death. 'Even low levels of alcohol use come with health risks,' Professor Kevin Shield, study lead author and senior scientist at the World Health Organisation. 'And that risk continues to increase the more someone drinks.' People should limit themselves to no more than one drink a day, new research suggests The new research, called the Alcohol Intake and Health Study - initially commissioned by the US government - found the risk of premature death was markedly higher in one in 25 people who consumed around 14 drinks a week. In comparison, drinking up to seven drinks per week was associated with only minimally increased risk for most conditions, they said. The study analysed 7,200 scientific articles on alcohol-related diseases to determine the level of risk for each condition. Writing in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, the team then applied those risks to large national health data sets to estimate how different drinking levels influence long-term health outcomes. Altogether, the study found that alcohol consumption raises the risk more than 200 diseases, including dementia, certain cancers and heart disease. The team concluded current guidelines grossly underestimate the risks of moderate drinking. 'It turns out that two drinks per day, which might be considered "moderate" from a social standpoint, is associated with a substantially elevated risk of premature death caused by alcohol,' Dr Timothy Naimi, the study's co-author, said. In addition to mortality risk, the study examined how drinking patterns influence the risk of chronic and alcohol-related conditions.